“The story of a girl, a boy, and the universe.
Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.
Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget all about that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store – for both of us.
The universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?”
What is the book about?
Natasha believes in science, in facts and statistics, in things that can be scientifically proven and have a real explanation for what is happening. Not in true love or dreams or fate or destiny, or anything that requires belief without real evidence. She is not the kind of girl to fall in love with a boy she has just met on the streets of New York. Especially not when it’s her last day in America and her family is only a few hours away from being deported to Jamaica. She definitely does not believe in dreams that are impossible, like being able to stay in America, even after she has been trying for weeks already with no hope of change. Daniel has always tried to be a good son, a good student, trying to live up to the high expectations his parents have set for him, especially when his brother hadn’t turned out to be the perfect first on they thought he was. He tries to not be the poet, or the dreamer, like he really is. But as soon as he spots Natasha, he forgets everything he has been working for – or his parents have been working for – and he knows that she is the only one for him. He begins to think that there is so much in store for himself and for Natasha than he ever thought before. Every decision, every idea, everything in the world has led up to this one moment. There are ultimate different realities and possibilities…which will come true?
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
As soon as I had read Everything, Everything for the first time, I knew I wanted to try The Sun is also Star as well and I immediately added it to my book wish list. One amazing day I walked into a bookstore and came out clutching The Sun is also a Star, desperate to open the book and dive into it pages as soon as I could. After a few weeks of the book sitting on my shelf gathering dust, I picked it up and straightaway I knew this was going to be an amazing book. The cover was beautiful and extremely eye-catching, giving me even more reason to read the book. After reading the detailed blurb, I was even more excited to start reading about Daniel and Natasha and I was sure it was going to be an incredible love story. Opening the book to the very first page, I was instantaneously captured by the story and I knew that I would finish the book quicker than I had initially thought. The short chapters passed by faster than a rocket and I enjoyed every second of the ride. Even from the beginning the writing was marvellous and I was already completely in love with the book. The book stole my attention from the very first page and, when I finally reached its end, I was completely puzzled by why I had left the book on the shelf for so long.
Who was your favourite character and why?
There were many minor characters in the book but not many were good characters, however the two main characters (Daniel and Natasha) were both equally amazing. Although I liked both of the characters, I think that Daniel was my favourite character, primarily because he was the dreamer and didn’t try to deny the connection between him and Natasha. Daniel had always tried to avoid the dreamer inside him and, even though he enjoyed writing poetry, he tried to work towards the future his parents wanted for him, rather than the one he wanted for himself. However, as soon as he saw Natasha, he began to think that there was more to his life than just following the path his parents had set up for him and that there was actually a chance that he would be able to reach his impossible dreams. Natasha had immediately denied that there was any chemistry between her and Daniel, while Daniel had done the complete opposite; he embraced the possibility of romance and the clear connection they had. Even though it was an important day for him, Daniel dedicated his time to convincing Natasha that she was in love with him. He tried all that was humanly possible to show her that it isn’t just important to look science and facts and statistics, but that true love and dreams are also real and that they are important as well, especially for humans to really live their life. Daniel managed to show Natasha the beauty in the world and he helped her believe following that her passions is what is important, instead of what is the most practical.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
The Sun is also a Star was filled with amazing parts, both good and bad, and it’s practically impossible for me to choose just one. However, if I were to zoom in on just one section of the book, I would say that my favourite part is when Daniel and Natasha finally kiss in the norebang (Korean karaoke). I really enjoyed this part because Daniel and Natasha are able to ignore the outside world and just focus on each other. They forget all the bad things that have happened in the past and are still happening in present and are bound to happen in the future and they just live in the moment. They have each other and that is all they need in that moment in time. I think this is most likely the part when they both really and truly fall for each other and when they start to believe that maybe dreams are really worth fighting for. Natasha never believed in dreams and Daniel never thought that his ones were ever going to be possible, but in that moment they began to think that maybe the universe is on their side and that the universe isn’t just trying to destroy their lives and everything good they had ever had.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Overall, The Sun is also a Star was an incredibly amazing book and I am very glad I read it. There was a lot to love about the book and I enjoyed every single part of it, even the sadder parts. One thing that I really loved about the book was the themes of the book. The whole book was based around the idea of fate and how the universe is in charge of what happens. It shows how no matter how badly you want something to happen, you have no control over the bad or the good things that happen to you. However, it also shows how sometimes things will work out better than you thought they would, even if they resolve themselves in a way you hadn’t even thought was possible. The book suggests that the universe will dictate what happens and that your destiny is already mapped out. There were a lot of bad parts in the book, but also many good ones. Things may not have ended the way Natasha and Daniel thought, but they still ended with a sense of hope and possibility. Another thing that I liked about the book was the short chapters. I don’t hate long chapters, but I don’t like them either. It was very refreshing to have a book with quick short chapters and so many different things happening. It created a faster tone and made me feel a lot more energetic and excited to move on and learn what happened in the next part of the story. The short chapters also showed how the events of the book were happening over a short period of time (only a day), rather that the books that have a series of events that happen over a few months. It made me see just how fast time goes by and how it is impossible to stop certain things from happening. Something else that I enjoyed about The Sun is also a Star was how different Natasha and Daniel were, and yet how well they worked with each other. Daniel helped Natasha see that it isn’t just important to strive for a practical future, but also one that you love and are passionate about. Natasha taught Daniel to actually work towards his dreams, not just to believe in them. Daniel showed Natasha how to dream and Natasha showed Daniel how to achieve his own. Without each other, neither of them would have been able to live their best live and change for the better. One last thing that I really liked about the book was its cyclical structure, meaning it ended in almost the same way it began. I cannot say very much about it in order to not ruin the story for those who haven’t read it, but I can say that it emphasised the point that everything has a way of coming back to you and that the connections people have will bring them back together no matter what. This sort of structure left the book with a lot of room for interpretation, as the ending left me with my own chance to explore what will happen to Natasha and Daniel and gave me the closure I needed to place the book back onto the shelf and to pick up a new one.
Would you recommend this book?
I 100% recommend that you read The Sun is also a Star, particularly if you are over 13 and especially if you enjoy an impossible and realistic romance. This is the perfect book for readers who are looking for a fast-paced read and one that will completely change the way you see the world.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A magical romance book about a girl, a boy and the universe.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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